K’taka pays compensation to kin of communal violence victims

IANS

Bengaluru, 19 June 2023: The Congress government in Karnataka on Monday paid a compensation of Rs 25 lakhs each to six families who lost their kin to communal violence in the state.

 

After distributing cheques to the family members, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared that his government had erased the anti-Constitutional policy of the previous BJP regime.

 

Speaking to reporters after the event, Siddaramaiah said: "The government belongs to all. It would be anti-Constitutional if favouritism is shown to one caste or religion. The then BJP government had adopted a policy of discrimination in terms of wiping out tears of the families of the deceased persons.

 

 

"I had raised my voice against the discrimination and hatred politics by the BJP government during my tenure as an opposition leader. The BJP carried out politics in the name of the deceased persons who were victims of communal violence. We have set right the discrimination practised by the BJP.

 

"Directions have been given to the police to initiate stern action against religious fanatics, immoral policing and on those who take law into their hands in the pretext of caste or religion. They will be dealt with."

 

The compensation were given to the families of Masood, a resident of Kalanja village in Dakshina Kannada district who was killed on July 17, 2022; Idris Pasha, a resident of Guttalu colony in Mandya killed on March 31, 2023; Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Mangalapete near Mangaluru killed on July 28, 2022; Shameer from Nargund in Gadag district killed on January 17, 2022; Abdul Jaleel from Katipalla in Dakshina Kannada district killed on December 24, 2022; and Deepak Rao, also from Katipalla killed on January 3, 2018.

 

The compensation comes from the Chief Minister’s relief fund.

 

The former BJP government did not grant compensation and no representative from the party or government met the families of the victims, triggering a huge controversy.